"I'll admit I may have seen better days,
but I'm still not to be had for the price of a cocktail,
like a salted
peanut"(Margo Channing)

Tuesday, 17 May 2016

Being Too Nice.

The other week I mentioned the interviewing skills of journalist and presenter Kirsty Young with some considerable admiration.
Today I watched probably one of the worst " celebrity" interviews I have ever had the misfortune to witness as a simpering and sycophantic Lorraine Kelly made a fool of herself with Helen Mirren who tried, with some patience, to unsuccessfully balance the constant barrage of " you're lovely" comments.
I don't trust overly nice people. Perhaps that says something dark about my childhood or my trust issues , but I don't.
Now don't get me wrong, I am attracted to warm hearted folk, you know the sort!, those that have an aura of kindness and genuineness about them but these people, in my book, must alsohave an edge about them of sorts, whether it humour,a touch of sarcasm or a big dollop of irony; and edge to me, always means interesting.
And interesting is always good.
Lorraine Kelly take note.

I would rather watch Helen Mirren interviewing Lorraine Kelly... "Lorraine, what is your permanently fixed smile hiding? Or are you simply mimicking the teeth baring habits of territorial chimpanzees?"

I'm just the same, overly nice people have me waiting to find out what is behind the smile and fawning behaviour. If it's a big sarcastic remark fair enough, if they dash off and talk about you to the next person they see picking apart what they wheedled out of you then it's curtains for any friendship with me.

Ah yes Lorraine Kelly - she is a role model for sycophantic and false; as is, in my opinion, Fiona Phillips. They both seem nauseatingly smarmy especially when interviewing people with challenges in their lives. I can't bear to watch them. There's such a big difference between showing respect and fawning over someone. I'll take Kirsty's or Jeremy Paxton's slightly acerbic styles any time.

Totally agree. If someone's overly nice, you can be sure there are nasty traits lurking under the surface but they're pretending not to have them. I'll bet that as soon as they're out of the public eye they'll be unleashing the vitriol.

Ha! I've learned not to trust nicey-nice people because usually it's fake -- and they will do passive aggressive stuff that can be really mean. I'd rather someone who is honest and upfront. At this point in my life, I can usually tell who is genuinely nice and who is just pretending.

One of my favorite interviewers here in the US is a woman named Terry Gross who does a show on NPR. She's fantastic but when she interviewed Keith Richards I was so disappointed. It was right after his book came out and she just wanted to talk about the groupies and the sexism in a few lyrics he and Mick had written fifty years ago. Anyway, at the end of the interview, she thanked him, as she does, and he said, "Well, honey. You tried." I'm still laughing to myself about that one.

I agree about overly nice people but have been proven wrong too many times when doubting someones sincerity and learning that most of the time, Nice people are just Nice.Now ... I have recently moved to the South ... USA ... people here are nice. I don't know anyone yet but it all seems to be genuine. Even if it is not, it sure beats the crappy chip on the shoulder suspicious attitudes that one can come across elsewhere.

I've been in the South almost six years. I say Bless your heart, and I mean it. I like saying it, especially to customer service people who actually help me. I think they appreciate it more than anyone else. They often say, You made my day.

Bloody Lorraine Kelly ..... I watched that interview this morning John and thought, if she says she looks wonderful one more time !!!! I don't know why she is still on !! Helen Mirren look fed up to the back teeth !! XXXX

Wasn't it just a few years ago that this same Ms Kelly was voted something like 'the most popular presenter for gay men'? (Can't quite recall the exact title of what it was she topped, but you get the drift.) I've always quite liked her without getting all ga-ga as, I assume, some other queens do. But, you know, J.G., you and I are two who will be told by NO ONE what to think.

There was a time, in the very long ago, when I was accused of "being so polite it was offensive". I sniped back that it was fortunate for him that he would never be similarly accused and he laughed so hard he cried.

On Sunday a lovely nurse Jill Pirrie got mown down by 14 year old joyriders in Edinburgh being chased by police. She leaves a 5 year old son. Go fund me has raised £12,000 for him in 2 days. Every penny is welcome to help the little boy in the future.xxxx please spread the word!.

I hadn't heard of her until now, which makes sense since the news in the US is all about politics and BS .. there are so many sad cases of Good people dying because of morons .. not necessarily bad people but bloody morons.

No idea who this Lorraine Kelly is either. One of the worst interviews I've ever seen, years ago, was between the dreadful Carol Vorderman, and the late, much missed National Treasure, Thora Hird. Vorderman's strident voice as she aggressively asked stupid questions, and either cut Thora off in mid sentence, or worse, answered the questions herself, made one cringe. It was quite clear that Vorderman thought she was doing Thora a great favour by even being in the same studio. She certainly didn't come over as a nice person !

I didn't see Lorraine Kelly's interview with Helen Mirren, but I do like LK, not least because she faithfully follows her local football team, Dundee United, and attends matches. She also does a lot of charity work and was appointed O.B.E. for services to charity and the armed forces.

The simple answer is ... don't watch Lorraine Kelly or this particular programme. It's progs like this that give daytime viewing a bad name (already it's come in for some stick) when there are some half-decent progs on during the daytime if you look carefully, some better than a lot of evening rubbish. Says she, I'm too busy of a morning to watch morning TV! I must lounge around and sup my coffee and read my magazines and I don't want Ms Kelly's stupidity interrupting me while I do all this ... (large grin accompanies this pronouncement ...)Margaret P

Oh, I suppose there's no need for me to look her up then, as I did with Kirsty??? We have some dreadful, embarassing interviews done here in Sweden as well. It's only because of the good manners some stars have, that we actually get any visits. I remember one horrid and very short conversation broadcasted in some sitcom. In the sofa was Tom Jones, behind the microphone a total bafoon, fresh out of the kindergarten, no, it's too painful!!You have good taste and common sense John, avoid that womans interviews and you'll probably live longer.